Conclusions

Each of these computers proves, in its own way, that thinking small can have a big payoff. They all can fit in places that traditional desktops can't, and some provide extras, like the ability to run on battery power, be attached to the back of a display or hold a multitude of drives. Which of those features you'll find appealing depends on what your needs are.

For me, the innovative is always alluring, but the InFocus Kangaroo Pro falls short of the mark. It fits into a shirt pocket, can run on battery power and you can add a 2.5-in. drive, but it has only 2GB of RAM and can't be attached to the back of a display.

By contrast, ECS's Liva X2 is a fashion statement that makes the others look dull and pedestrian. It includes hardware for mounting it on the back of a monitor, creating an easy-to-assemble DIY all-in-one PC.

As the largest of the four, the Asus VivoMini VC65R is the power leader and can hold three extra 2.5-inch drives, making it the equivalent of a micro server. As big as it is, the VivoMini can be mounted on a display (with an optional plate) and has the best assortment of ports.

None of the other three, however, can match the versatility of the Gigabyte Brix. It's nearly as small as the Kangaroo Pro, can be upgraded with an M.2 flash module and includes the mounting hardware for turning a monitor into an all-in-one PC. More to the point, despite its diminutive dimensions, it was almost as powerful as the VivoMini, making it a computer that won't slow you down.

Mini-PCs: Test scores

Asus VivoMini VC65R

ECS Liva X2

Gigabyte Brix

InFocus Kangaroo Pro

PCMark 8

2,730

1,481

2,542

1,365

Power use

25 watts

7 watts

13 watts

15 watts

How we test Windows system performance

At Computerworld, we give each system a thorough examination that covers all of its major attributes, including working with the computer as a user. We also test the performance of the computer and its battery life as follows:

For a general benchmark, we use the PCMark 8 benchmarking tool. We use its Work series of tests, which most closely approximates the way most of our readers use their systems, and includes video conferencing, Web browsing, productivity and Web applications. We run the test three times and publish the average.

To test the battery, we generally run two sets of tests.

First, we run the PCMark 8 battery life test, which loops its Work series from a full charge until the battery is nearly empty and then reports the result. (Note that because this test continuously stresses the battery, it doesn’t perfectly reflect how a system is used during a typical work day.)

We also play a series of of YouTube videos from a full charge until the battery dies, to see how long it lasts under a more media-heavy workload (such as what might happen during a long plane trip). We measure the time it takes with PassMark's BatteryMon application and/or a stopwatch.

While testing these these mini-PCs, I felt around the system’s case for places where the case has heated up and recorded the peak temperature using a Fluke 62 Mini infrared thermometer.
Using a Kill-a-Watt power meter, I measured how much electricity each system used while running and while asleep.

Finally, I attached each system to the back of a monitor to make sure it was possible and see how easy it was. Due to cooling restrictions, I didn’t use the Kangaroo Pro for this phase of testing.

This story, "Review: 4 mini-PCs give you full power in a very small package" was originally published by
Computerworld.